YARMOUTH, Maine—Home automation gadgets coming out of the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show are interesting, but discretion might be needed before some go too far, according to Security Systems News readers responding to our latest NewsPoll.

GRAPEVINE, Texas—Sales of a new device that can affordably turn existing home smoke detectors into monitored smart smoke detectors have surpassed 200,000 units in just a few months and more orders are pouring in, according to the manufacturer, Encore Controls, a startup co-founded by Lance Dean.

BELTSVILLE, Md.—ASG Security has acquired a “platform for hyper-growth” with the Jan. 31 acquisition of National Alarm Systems of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a buy that will propel the super-regional to $10 million in RMR by the end of 2014, Joe Nuccio, ASG CEO, told Security Systems News.

BELTSVILLE, Md.—Super-regional ASG Security is “having a strong sales year so far in Louisiana” and it’s also building density through acquisitions in this region, ASG CFO Ralph Masino told Security Systems News.

I received an announcement today from Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group about super-regional security company ASG establishing a strategic relationship with Ray Cannedy Security & Investigations (RCSI), a guard company based in Wichita Falls, Texas. According to their website, RCSI is a provider of: patrol service, armed and unarmed guard service, courier service, and armored car service. Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group represented RCSI in the transaction, the announcement said.

Integration companies partnering with guard companies is a trend we've seen lately. Securitas and Convergint partnered in 2011. Here's that story. Stanley partnered with U.S. Security Associates in April. Here's that story. And in 2009 guarding giant G4S got into integration with the acquisition of Adesta. Here's that story. So I assumed at first that this was the same sort of partnership, except on a much limited basis. However, I just spoke to Ralph Masino, CFO at ASG, and he clarified that the deal was, in fact, a small account acquisition deal. RCSI historically has done both guarding and some limited alarm monitoring, he said. The company decided to shed its alarm monitoring accounts, which were acquired by ASG, Masino said. RCSI is still continuing with all of its guard services.

Although hosted video has not yet dominated the security scene as some predicted a few years ago, the hype may eventually be justified. Integrators who have made the switch from selling analog to digital cameras and other industry experts say the future is now for hosted video surveillance.